Onward ... TOGETHER
"No one alive has seen anything like this, so it's understandable that it's taking a while for people to wrap their heads around this." – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
WHAT a week it has been! For me, without a doubt, it has been unlike ANY week EVER!
As you all know – we made the difficult decision to do our part to help reduce the spread of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 by cancelling our in-person programming through the end of March. This pandemic is changing DAILY, and we now know the date to return to an in-person format will not be for a long while.
During these challenging times, caregivers are feeling more isolated and alone than EVER. We KNOW that we can help each other to get through this TOGETHER. After all, we know and DO HARD things every day.
Our leaders are committed to maintaining our planned programming in a NEW format – virtually. This week, we are testing the new format with our weekly “regulars,” and we are planning to bring in any new participant who would be interested in joining us next week – the week of March 23. If you’re interested in joining us, please email me and I will add you to the list to receive our onboarding materials, expectations, privacy pledge, registration, and waiver. Due to the virtual format, you don’t have to live in Northeast Ohio to participate!
Please keep watching for our weekly inspirational email, which we will continue to send to your inbox on Thursday mornings, offering you tips, resources, and a little bit of peace amidst the chaos. This month, our theme is SELF-CARE, and this week's topic is Understanding STRESS.
We also have our trained caregiver peer volunteers ready and willing to take additional calls to support caregivers during these challenging days. If you are feeling alone, frustrated, or need to vent to a caregiver who has been there and done/tried that – you can email me for immediate, short-term support or register online here to be matched through our One-to-One (Peer) Support program. You are never alone.
A few important reminders:
Please get updated information from a trusted source, such as www.coronavirus.ohio.gov. If you have questions, please call the ODH call center: 1-833-4ASKODH (1-833-427-5634).
If you are not sick – help out others. Run errands, do yard work, deliver food to elderly neighbors (leave it at the door – just to be safe), or take food to a food pantry. Call, text or video chat with friends and family. This is the time to come together!
We may be physically isolated – yet, we are NEVER ALONE. Let's get through these hard days TOGETHER!
ONWARD together,
Kristi